College football: Beer sales at games a growing trend

Walk through the tailgate area at a college football stadium, and beer drinking is as common a sight as fans adorned in jerseys of their favorite players.

A growing number of schools are bringing the party inside, opening taps in concourses that traditionally have been alcohol-free zones. North Texas, SMU and Troy University will begin beer sales to the general public this season. They're among 21 on-campus football stadiums where any fan of legal age can grab a brew. That's more than twice as many as five years ago.

Most schools continue to keep alcohol restricted to premium seating areas, if they allow it at all. But offering alcohol is increasingly attractive for some campuses, especially for cash-strapped athletic departments outside the Power 5 conferences. Those schools, especially, are looking for ways to keep fans coming to their stadiums instead of sitting in front of their HD TVs at home or at sports bars.

They're also encouraged by the schools that were among the first to sell alcohol and didn't report an increase in bad behavior from students and other fans.

"Every institution is looking at how they can increase revenue streams, and alcohol is one of those," said Jeff Schemmel, president of the consulting firm College Sports Solutions LLC. "Everything is on the table."

There are 11 municipal stadiums where FBS teams are tenants and alcohol is available to the general public. The municipality usually keeps most, if not all, of the alcohol proceeds. The NCAA does not sell alcohol to the general public at its championship events. Schools and conferences are allowed to make their own policies.

According to an Associated Press survey of the 21 beer-selling schools that own and operate their stadiums, about half their concessions revenue is derived from alcohol. All but four of those schools are in conferences outside the Power 5 that don't earn significant television money.

Troy athletic director John Hartwell estimated beer would bring his Alabama school about $200,000 in commissions this season. According to its contract with its concessionaire, Troy will receive 43 percent of gross beer sales at its 30,000-seat stadium, or better than $2 for every $5 beer.

"That's more impactful to a bottom line for a Troy than it is for a Texas or West Virginia or institutions similar to that," said Hartwell. Alcohol proceeds will be used to pay debt on a $25 million expansion of Troy's football facilities.

Foam teams

College football stadiums where alcohol will be sold to the general public this season: